"Blacken the sky Can't stand to see the sun The truth of light Reveals the hatred that has won" – I Saw The End by Pallbearer

Matalobos-which translates into “Wolfsbane”-plays a cross between melodic death metal and abyssal doom. Their self titled EP features three songs that are a good blend between the two genres and make you feel a wide range of emotions. They stretch your limits of anger and sorrow the most as Matalobos transitions seamlessly between pile driving death metal and melancholy doom. Through the twenty-three minute release, the music weighs you down and crushes your bones like an anvil.

Through the first half of the opener The Murderer you get very well acquainted with the death metal side of Matalobos. The Muderer begins with solid double kick drumming, and with that the ripping yet smooth and crunching riffs come into play. Through the first half of the song death metal reigns supreme and keeps a stranglehold on you until your eyes are about to pop out of your head.

A little before the midway point, Matalobos breaks into a semi-breakdown, one that is bass heavy, suffocating and has the destructive power of a stick of dynamite. No worry ye non-believers of breakdowns for it does not last long as Matalobos changes gears and gets into the softer yet equally as searing doom elements.

The death metal roars give way to a gritty clean singing delivery and The Murderer breaks into a great acoustic piece. Once the acoustics are finished, Matalobos breaks bones and scorches the earth with their style of almost melancholic and powerful doom.

The same could be said about any one of the three songs as Matalobos mixes both death metal and doom expertly to create a dark, thick and very potent potion of sordid metal.

If you question the ability to play a melodious tune and couple that with a force to be reckoned with, you shouldn’t question it after listening to Matalobos and their self titled EP.

The equal parts melody and pure erupting molten metal is what makes it a great and interesting listen. You begin with quick double bass work, slick riffs and grizzly ear drum shredding roars, then you dive into slower heart piercing doom. That particular trend continues through each song and while the pace moves quickly up and down from quick to slower you feel as though you’ve been strapped into a roller coaster that’s gone off the rails.

The EP is built around riffs and great song writing, and each riff is heavy yet refined and very smooth and between those riffs are equally dashing solos. Each riff is combined with solid drum work as the drummer transitions between death metal acrobat to a refined solid doom style. The bass is very prominent and makes itself well known. Forcing their way into your ear holes are the vocals which take stances equally in death metal as well as a more traditional clean vocal. The death metal vocals are powerful and raw giving off visceral energy while the cleans are sweeping and sweet as honey.

No matter which sound Matalobos drives into your spaghetti like brain, it’s undeniably heavy and catchy. Even though the EP is short, there is enough here to make you want to press play over and over again.